GROTON, Conn. (AP) — A former submarine commander who faked his death to end an extramarital affair knows he made a terrible mistake and has apologized, and the Navy shouldn’t throw away his talent and training, his lawyer said Friday at a hearing to determine whether he will be expelled from the service.

A lieutenant acting as a prosecutor countered that there’s no place in the Navy for a man with the character of Cmdr. Michael P. Ward II.

Ward, a married 43-year-old, sent his mistress in Virginia an email in July posing as a fictitious co-worker named Bob and saying Ward had died unexpectedly, a Navy investigation found. Ward was relieved of his duties aboard the USS Pittsburgh in August, a week after he’d taken command, and has received a letter of reprimand for adultery and other military violations.

A panel of three officers at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton will decide whether Ward should stay in the Navy and at what rank. A demotion could cost him up to $750,000 in retirement benefits.

In arguing that Ward should get to keep his job, his lawyer said he has confessed from the beginning to what he did.

“This man probably would have been an admiral someday, and he’s brought shame on himself and he knows that,” said Navy Cmdr. Daniel Cimmino, representing Ward, who was at the hearing in a dress blue uniform but did not speak.

But a senior enlisted sailor from the USS Pittsburgh testified that Ward at first denied the accusations.

The sailor, Master Chief Chris Beauprez, said he received a call on the submarine from a sister of Ward’s girlfriend, who told him what Ward had done.

Beauprez said he told Ward about the call and Ward denied the woman’s allegations, then said he’d address the situation himself.

Beauprez testified that he had an implicit trust in what his commander said so he didn’t take the matter up any further.

Days later, he said, he heard Ward was being dismissed.

“Commander Ward’s actions show a complete lack of honesty, character and integrity,” said Navy Lt. Griffin Farris, acting as prosecutor at the hearing.

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